News and Events

Lupoid Dermatosis/Exfoliative Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus
A Marker Test is Now Available
Margret L. Casal, Elizabeth Mauldin, Petra Werner

German shorthaired pointers (GSPs) that are affected with exfoliative cutaneous lupus erythematosus (ECLE, also known as lupoid dermatosis) have an unusual amount of scales (dandruff) and later scabs and skin crusts that begin on the face, ears and back and then move on to involve the whole body.  The extent of the skin lesions can become quite severe and the skin’s barrier function is no longer intact.  This leads to frequent skin infections resulting in even worse disease.  As the disease progresses, many of the affected dogs will be lame on one or more legs and stand with their back arched like they are trying to walk on egg shells.  We have also found that kidney disease develops in affected dogs, as they grow older, just like in people with lupus erythematosus.  Many of the affected GSPs are euthanized before they reach the age of 4 years because of the pain and poor quality of life.  This highlights the need for a DNA based test so that breeders can test their dogs to better plan a breeding program and ultimately eliminate ECLE from the breed.

Through generous donations from German shorthaired pointer breeders and a grant from the AKC’s Canine health Foundation we have been able to develop a marker test for this disease which we now offer to all breeders and interested parties.  We are currently working on finding the actual mutation, which will help understand the disease not only in GSPs but also in humans with lupus.  While the marker test has been shown to be quite good at predicting affected, carrier and clear dogs, a mutation test is 100% accurate (the results are unequivocal.).  For more detailed explanations regarding the marker test, please check out the LD FAQs page. 

Cheek swabs can be requested to have GSPs tested for $75 per dog.  If samples from whole litters are submitted, please contact us for a discount.  Requests can be sent to dogderm@vet.upenn.edu . If you think you have an affected dog, please call us at 215-898-0029.  We will assist you with making a diagnosis and if possible, designing a treatment strategy to halt the disease process. 
Click here to download:
Lupoid Dermatosis Linked Marker DNA Test Submission Form